In Chile, a big telescope is being built in the Atacama desert. It’s called the Extremely Large Telescope, or ELT. This telescope will be the biggest in the world. Dr. Elise Vernet is helping to make sure the mirrors work perfectly.

In Germany, a company called Zeiss is making special mirrors. These mirrors help make tiny computer chips. They can reflect light very well, which helps make the chips better. Zeiss wants to help make super powerful chips by 2030.

Mirrors are very important for new technology. They help us see faraway stars and make better computer chips. These mirrors are made with very careful designs. They help us learn more about space and improve technology on Earth.

Original news source: The mind-bending mirrors behind advanced technology (BBC)

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Write down key words related to the article on small pieces of paper (e.g., telescope, mirrors, technology, space). Have students pick a piece of paper and act out the word without speaking while the rest of the class guesses what it is.

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide students into pairs. Have one student summarize the main points of the article to their partner in their own words. Then, have the partner do the same. Encourage them to use the vocabulary from the article.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on the board (e.g., telescope, mirrors, technology). Have students take turns coming to the board to draw a visual representation of the word while the rest of the class guesses what it is.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article (e.g., “Do you think exploring space is important for humanity?” “Should countries invest more in technology research?”). Have students move around the classroom and ask their classmates for their opinions on each statement, practicing expressing their own opinions as well.

– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions: Have each student come up with two true statements and one false statement related to the article. In small groups, students take turns sharing their statements, and the rest of the group has to guess which statement is the lie. This helps students practice expressing information from the article in a fun way.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is being built in Chile’s Atacama desert?
2. What is the telescope in Chile called?
3. Who is helping to make sure the mirrors work perfectly for the telescope?
4. What is the name of the company in Germany making special mirrors?
5. What do the mirrors made by Zeiss help create?
6. Why are mirrors important for new technology?
7. How do mirrors help us learn more about space and improve technology on Earth?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In Chile, a big (1)______ is being built in the Atacama desert. It’s called the Extremely Large (2)______, or ELT. This telescope will be the (3)______ in the world. Dr. Elise Vernet is helping to (4)______ sure the mirrors work perfectly.

In (5)______, a company (6)______ Zeiss is making special mirrors. These mirrors help make tiny computer chips. They can reflect light very well, which helps make the chips better. Zeiss (7)______ to help make (8)______ powerful chips by 2030.

Mirrors are very (9)______ for new technology. They help us see faraway stars and make better computer chips. These (10)______ are made with very careful (11)______. They help us learn more about space and (12)______ technology on Earth.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What do you think about telescopes?
2. How would you feel if you could see the stars up close through a telescope?
3. Do you like learning about space?
4. What is a mirror used for in everyday life?
5. Why do you think mirrors are important for technology?
6. How do you think mirrors help us learn more about space?
7. Do you think it’s cool that mirrors can help make computer chips better?
8. Why do you think it’s important to have big telescopes in the desert?
9. What do you think about the idea of making super powerful computer chips?
10. How do you think mirrors are made to be so reflective?
11. Do you think you would like to work with telescopes and mirrors one day? Why or why not?
12. What is something you would like to see through a powerful telescope?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. telescope
2. desert
3. mirrors
4. reflect
5. technology
6. powerful
7. designs
8. improve
9. company
10. chips
11. faraway
12. space

Meanings:
(A) Very strong or able to do a lot
(B) Flat surfaces that bounce light back so we can see ourselves
(C) Tools and machines that help us do things better
(D) A tool that helps us see things that are very far away, like stars
(E) To send back light or heat from a surface
(F) A group of people who work together to make or sell things
(G) A very dry place with lots of sand and little water
(H) The area beyond Earth where stars and planets are
(I) To make something better
(J) Plans or drawings to show how something will look or work
(K) Something that is a long distance away
(L) Small pieces used in computers to help them work
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the big telescope being built in the Atacama desert?
(a) Extremely Large Telescope
(b) Super Huge Telescope
(c) Mega Giant Telescope
(d) Ultra Massive Telescope

2. Who is helping to make sure the mirrors for the telescope work perfectly?
(a) Dr. Alex Smith
(b) Dr. Sarah Johnson
(c) Dr. Elise Vernet
(d) Dr. Emily Brown

3. Which country is the company Zeiss located in?
(a) France
(b) Italy
(c) Spain
(d) Germany

4. What do the special mirrors made by Zeiss help create?
(a) Big TV screens
(b) Tiny computer chips
(c) Giant telescopes
(d) Huge cameras

5. What do mirrors help us see far away?
(a) Cars
(b) Stars
(c) Buildings
(d) Trees

6. What is one way mirrors are important for technology on Earth?
(a) They help make better computer chips
(b) They help grow plants faster
(c) They help build bigger houses
(d) They help make faster cars

7. What do the mirrors made with careful designs help us learn more about?
(a) Oceans
(b) Mountains
(c) Space
(d) Deserts

8. What is the goal of Zeiss for the computer chips by 2030?
(a) To make tiny chips
(b) To make colorful chips
(c) To make cheap chips
(d) To make super powerful chips

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Dr. Elise Vernet is working to ensure the mirrors for the ELT don’t work perfectly.
2. Zeiss’s mirrors hinder make tiny computer chips by absorbing light very well.
3. Mirrors are crucial for new technology, aiding in observing faraway stars and improving computer chips.
4. Carefully designed mirrors help us explore space and enhance technology on Earth.
5. Zeiss aims to hinder create super powerless chips by 2030.
6. In Germany, a company named Zeiss is making special mirrors for the ELT.
7. The ELT will be the biggest telescope in the world.
8. A small telescope is being built in Chile’s Atacama desert called the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is being built in the Atacama desert in Chile?
2. Who is helping to make sure the mirrors for the Extremely Large Telescope work perfectly?
3. What is the name of the company in Germany that is making special mirrors?
4. How do the special mirrors made by Zeiss help make computer chips better?
5. Why are mirrors important for new technology according to the article?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is being built in Chile’s Atacama desert?
A big telescope is being built in Chile’s Atacama desert.

2. What is the telescope in Chile called?
The telescope in Chile is called the Extremely Large Telescope, or ELT.

3. Who is helping to make sure the mirrors work perfectly for the telescope?
Dr. Elise Vernet is helping to make sure the mirrors work perfectly for the telescope.

4. What is the name of the company in Germany making special mirrors?
The name of the company in Germany making special mirrors is Zeiss.

5. What do the mirrors made by Zeiss help create?
The mirrors made by Zeiss help create tiny computer chips.

6. Why are mirrors important for new technology?
Mirrors are important for new technology because they help us see faraway stars and make better computer chips.

7. How do mirrors help us learn more about space and improve technology on Earth?
Mirrors help us learn more about space by allowing us to see faraway stars, and they improve technology on Earth by helping make better computer chips.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) telescope
(2) Telescope
(3) biggest
(4) make
(5) Germany
(6) called
(7) wants
(8) super
(9) important
(10) mirrors
(11) designs
(12) improve
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. telescope
Answer: (D) A tool that helps us see things that are very far away, like stars

2. desert
Answer: (G) A very dry place with lots of sand and little water

3. mirrors
Answer: (B) Flat surfaces that bounce light back so we can see ourselves

4. reflect
Answer: (E) To send back light or heat from a surface

5. technology
Answer: (C) Tools and machines that help us do things better

6. powerful
Answer: (A) Very strong or able to do a lot

7. designs
Answer: (J) Plans or drawings to show how something will look or work

8. improve
Answer: (I) To make something better

9. company
Answer: (F) A group of people who work together to make or sell things

10. chips
Answer: (L) Small pieces used in computers to help them work

11. faraway
Answer: (K) Something that is a long distance away

12. space
Answer: (H) The area beyond Earth where stars and planets are
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the big telescope being built in the Atacama desert?
Answer: (a) Extremely Large Telescope

2. Who is helping to make sure the mirrors for the telescope work perfectly?
Answer: (c) Dr. Elise Vernet

3. Which country is the company Zeiss located in?
Answer: (d) Germany

4. What do the special mirrors made by Zeiss help create?
Answer: (b) Tiny computer chips

5. What do mirrors help us see far away?
Answer: (b) Stars

6. What is one way mirrors are important for technology on Earth?
Answer: (a) They help make better computer chips

7. What do the mirrors made with careful designs help us learn more about?
Answer: (c) Space

8. What is the goal of Zeiss for the computer chips by 2030?
Answer: (d) To make super powerful chips
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Dr. Elise Vernet is working to ensure the mirrors for the ELT don’t work perfectly. (Answer: False)
2. Zeiss’s mirrors hinder make tiny computer chips by absorbing light very well. (Answer: False)
3. Mirrors are crucial for new technology, aiding in observing faraway stars and improving computer chips. (Answer: True)
4. Carefully designed mirrors help us explore space and enhance technology on Earth. (Answer: True)
5. Zeiss aims to hinder create super powerless chips by 2030. (Answer: False)
6. In Germany, a company named Zeiss is making special mirrors for the ELT. (Answer: True)
7. The ELT will be the biggest telescope in the world. (Answer: True)
8. A small telescope is being built in Chile’s Atacama desert called the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧